


Sometimes Nail Polish Is All You Need

by toxicbalance



Series: Even Broken Wings Can Learn to Fly [2]
Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Schönberg/Boublil, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Asexual Character, Gen, Genderfluid Character, Panic Attacks, slight references to an eating disorder and child abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-20
Updated: 2013-06-20
Packaged: 2017-12-15 15:22:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/851075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toxicbalance/pseuds/toxicbalance
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He loses his ring after Gym and almost has a panic attack. He misses almost all of lunch looking for it in the locker room. He’s emptied his locker and stares at it in despair. He feels like he’s about to cry and presses his forehead into the cool metal door. </p><p>“Hey Prouvaire? You here?” He lets out a shuddering sigh. Footsteps round the corner. “What’s wrong? Why aren’t you at lunch?” Grantaire sounds worried (Jean thinks R was probably the only person who noticed he was gone but he can’t he can’t let that thought finish because fuck).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sometimes Nail Polish Is All You Need

**Author's Note:**

> Note that Prouvaire is gender fluid and uses Jean when he identifies as more masculine and uses Jehan when she identifies as more feminine. The pronouns change as well. Grantaire uses Prouvaire when in the first part because he does not know what pronouns/name Prouvaire is using that day
> 
> This also takes place when they are in high school, not college. So these events happen before Sometimes All You Need Is Quiet and Stuck Inside The Past

He loses his ring after Gym and almost has a panic attack. He misses almost all of lunch looking for it in the locker room. He’s emptied his locker and stares at it in despair. He feels like he’s about to cry and presses his forehead into the cool metal door.

“Hey Prouvaire? You here?” He lets out a shuddering sigh. Footsteps round the corner. “What’s wrong? Why aren’t you at lunch?” Grantaire sounds worried (Jean thinks R was probably the only person who noticed he was gone but he can’t he can’t let that thought finish because fuck).

“I lost-” He can’t finish his sentence and he knows that he’s about three seconds from crying. Grantaire must notice the hitch in his voice and kneels in front of him.

“Prouvaire? Deep breaths okay? What did you you los- oh.” Grantaire stops when he sees Jean’s hands. Prouvaire almost laughs at the ridiculousness of the situation.

“Do you think you can get through today without your ace ring? Do you have another one at your house?” Jean wants to hug him for how he doesn’t ask if he has one at home.

“What classes are left?”  
  
“Math, French, Study Hall,” Grantaire runs a hand through his hair as he thinks, “and, um, English.” Jean extends his hand to his friend so he can help him up.

“How long until the bell rings?” Grantaire smiles.

“I actually have no idea.” He says as they leave the locker room. “But I can walk you to the cafeteria if you want something to eat.”

Jean moves to twist his ring and he stops, the aborted motion leaving him looking lost. “No I’m good.” He says quietly, not meeting Grantaire’s eyes. Grantaire opens his mouth to say something but the bell rings, cutting him off. He looks at Prouvaire’s back as he loses his friend in the crush of students.

**

The next day Grantaire makes a point of getting to school early and to look for his friend. Grantaire finds Prouvaire sitting under one of the trees on the field.

“So Prouv-”

“Jehan today.” Jehan ducks her head.

“So Jehan, I have something for you.” He pulls the small box out of his pocket and places it in Jehan’s waiting palm. Her grin when she opens the box is blinding.

“Thankyouthankyou,” she slips the ring on her finger and throws her arms around Grantaire’s neck. “You didn’t have to buy me another one you know,” she says after she pulls back.

“I only bought half of it really.” Grantaire explains “I bought the ring but I used my sister’s nail polish to paint it” (he doesn’t say that he didn’t have enough to buy a black ring, he doesn’t have to).

“Oh Grantaire” Jehan breathes, almost glowing with joy.

“You better not lose this one though, I skipped my history homework to make it.” He says, half-joking.

“Grantaire!” Jehan smacks his arm with her ever present notebook (Grantaire doesn’t flinch but that’s because he’s had practice).

“What? It was more important to get you a ring then it is to read about the stupid French Revolution. I don’t get it anyway so it doesn’t matter.” Grantaire looks at his hands.

“During lunch I’ll teach you about it, okay?”

“Yeah, fine” (Grantaire doesn’t say that it’s a lost cause, Jehan is too optimistic to believe him.)

“Now come on, the bell’s about to ring” Jehan pulls Grantaire up.

During the day she can’t stop herself from looking at her ring and smiling. (She makes it a priority to never lose the ring and when he accepts his diploma at his college graduation, it’s still gleaming on his finger).

**Author's Note:**

> Jean uses male pronouns in the first part even though Grantaire calls him Prouvaire, which Grantaire uses because he does not know what pronouns/name Prouvaire is using that day.


End file.
